Wedge Campers & Assorted Oddities

Since you moved from a wedge camper to a "FWC style" popup what do you see as the advantage to a pop up?

 

The main advantage is space. Living in a wedge for me and eventually my GF was not really fun. You either had to both be standing up or laying down on the bed pulled out. You couldn't just sit on the bed without bending your back to a 45 degree... not really the most comfortable situation. We found ourselves on many rainy days and nights wishing one of us could cook and the other be reading, but it just doesnt work that well. It became obvious to us pretty quick why FWC and ATC have been successful for years.

 

I agree with some of this. Having owned (2) Fourwheel campers, a Flippac, V1 wedge, and a Drifter, here is my take FWIW:

The Flippac had the most room without a doubt. Getting out of bed was obviously easy since the mattress was on the lid. Having a massive tent overhead was a serious issue though and it was obviously not weatherproof. I had to completely change my plans or hightail it home due to rain or snow on at least 5 occasions. And the lack of clear vinyl windows made visibility an issue in cold weather. The fabric was very light though and let in a lot of light... and also water. Deal breaker for me.



The FWC didn't pop-up as high, so sitting up in bed was an issue. My wife said it felt like a coffin. It looks like the OVRLND Camper pops up higher and may alleviate the issue.
The FWC took way longer to setup. The vertical sides made it a challenge in the trees. Inside, the vertical walls made if feel spacious. With the bed extended, you could barely get out of bed though. Offroad, the vertical sides created many challenges in off-camber situations in the trees. Not an issue in the desert or on wide- open trails.

When short wheelbase Jeepers spot you...



The Drifter and GFC popup much higher than the Roaming Chariot. It allows you to sit up in bed and the deployment/ take down is much faster. We specifically designed the pop-up height based on the ability to sit up in bed.

The wedges I've owned have been much more stable in the wind than the 4WC's and Flippac. The angled sides reduce some interior width, but it's still very spacious. And it's ideal in the trees and tight trails. Great for DD applications too.

Summary:

Flippac

PROS:

• Space. Lots of it.
• Ability to get out of bed without disturbing others.
• Full use of the truck bed.
• Only takes up one parking space.
• Relatively light.

CONS:

• Not weatherproof... at all.
• Giant wet tent/ rainfly to put away after a rainy night. Water will find a way inside...
• Semi- difficult deployment.
• Not great in windy conditions.
• 2- layer windows (no clear vinyl).
• No provisions for a fan.
• Tent touched bedding material (condensation would wet the bedding).
• Have to remove roof items to deploy (canoe/ kayaks/ surfboards)
• Can't mount solar panels on the roof.

4WC

PROS:

• Hard roof.
• Weatherproof.
• Very dust resistant.
• 3- layer windows with clear vinyl.
• Only takes up one parking space.
• Spacious with the sleeping platform retracted.
• Ceiling fan.
• Can mount solar panels on the roof.

CONS:

• Heavy.
• Side clearance on trails.
• Wasted space between slide-in and truck bed.
• Semi- difficult deployment. Very difficult with a canoe/ kayak on top.
• Low ceiling height.
• Tent touched bedding material (condensation would wet the bedding).

Drifter

PROS:

• Super quick setup/ takedown.
• Hard roof (1/8" aluminum!).
• Weatherproof tent material.
• Does well in the wind.
• 3- layer windows with clear vinyl.
• Only takes up one parking space.
• Lightweight.
• Full use of truck bed.
• Easy to get out of bed with the sleeping platform deployed.
• Very high ceiling.
• Tent does not touch the bedding.

CONS:

• Narrower bed than the 4wc.
• Subject to dust intrusion from the truck bed (can be remedied though).
• Have to retract sleeping platform to access full truck bed (compared to Flippac).

Based on experiences with all the variations, I wanted a camper that did it all:

• Ability to withstand the elements for 4-season camping. I don't live where it snows or frequently rains, but it does in the mountains where I camp.
• Ability to sit up in bed.
• Angled sides for clearance in the trees.
• Strong roof (lower stress around low hanging branches).
• Don't have to remove roof load to deploy.
• Spacious enough to hang out in during inclement weather. The clear vinyl windows definitely help in these situations.
• Ability to hang out or get out with the sleeping platform deployed.
• Allows use of the full truck bed (an issue with slide-ins).
• Only takes up one parking space (think ski-resort parking lot).
• Separation between the tent and the bedding.

The only camper I regret selling is the flatbed wedge. But it helped to start Vagabond and refine the minor design issues with that camper.

YMMV, but the wedge style camper does everything I need. And it alleviated all the issues with the other campers. There is a tradeoff with every setup. It seems like we gave up the least with this one.



@tacomgee

 

I’ll agree. The “hanging out” space in a wedge can be slightly limiting.... to be honest my wife and I have hung out a few hours at a time on really chilly mornings drinking coffee and chatting.

The simple solution to me however to the limited space issue is a awning with side room... granted in a hurricane this may not be ideal but we’ve used it with great success in rain as well as cold weather.

I actually put my buddy heater in it and with things buttoned up it stays very comfortable. Best part no compromise in Offroad ability and all things considered VERY reasonable cost. I would choose to have an awning anyway and I believe the entire “deluxe” room wasn’t much more than $200 bucks shipped on Amazon.

My awning is 2.5M so with the room attached I have an additional 70 plus sqft with 7ft ceilings. Obviously this room option applies to most any camper or wedge not just my GFC.

 

We designed the drifter so the tent would not touch the bedding, so condensation would not wick into your sleeping bag or blankets. If there is condensation that collects on the walls we have a built in lip that keeps it from running straight down on to the mattess as well.

These are a few things we learned from the V1s and a few rounds of sleeping in bad weather.

 

So I agree, and disagree with both of you at the same time.

Tomorrow marks the 6 month "anniversary" of me putting a Drifter on my truck and full-timing it out of it so I think I can speak with *some* authority but the majority of the time has been just me and the dog - I had a girl stay with me for a week and while it was totally doable it was a bit cramped.

With two people, I definitely think the Drifter/GFC would be too small to live out of - but I think that's the a virtue of the bed size (5 feet) more than the actual camper design. I've also been inside a 5 foot bed FWC and had the exact same thought - it's just too small.

That being said I think the wedge design utilizes the little amount of space far better than the other designs. You can have someone sitting on the bed, and another person "downstairs" cooking with no problems with the Drifter.

I'm 6'2 and the Tacoma bed is only 4.5 feet wide so to sleep someone perpendicular (like the FWC) means the camper has to be substantially wider than the truck - which is a non starter for me.

I think once you get into the realm of full-size trucks the advantages/disadvantages tend to narrow down.

 

I meant to mention the Flippac/Habitat - even if both those products worked as they were supposed to (the Habitat seems to be constantly plagued with problems) the amount of tent material they have make it a non starter, at least for me - and having to stow my bedding would drive me nuts.

As nice as the weather in CA is year round it sucks in WA for 8 months of the year. The amount of material on the Habitat, even if it was waterproof which doesn’t sound like it is in reality, means that once it gets wet you need to dry it out otherwise it gets moldy. But if it’s raining every day, you need an indoor garage to dry it out - and who has a garage big enough for that.

I had a clamshell CVT tent that lasted three months before it got mold in it - never going back to a clamshell regardless of how palatial it can be.

 

The material is different. It’s heavy duty maritime type vinyl that is waterproof.

I also have been in CA for the last few weeks.

 

In case you all don’t follow @Overlanerd on Instagram, heres a video he just posted up.

Dude is not afraid to take his house anywhere. Just a sample of what we designed the Drifter withstand.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpgriw5hCwO

 

Just found this gem on facebook. Apparently AT has this at SEMA, possible new product?

 

Yuck.

 

I know people that live out of a subaru outback, and y'all complaining about standing up while jerking off at the same time...

Anything is livable if you make it livable. It all depends on what you are willing to sacrifice and how much money you have to spend.

The 4wd sprinters with street legal dirt bikes and mountain bikes mounted on them are the benchmark for backcountry living in my book right now. And even those come with major sacrifices.

 

motovans are awesome! just cant see myself DDing one on the regular so i prefer my truck.

 

yeah you stop working (or work remote) with that life. So you DD is from one backyard to the next...

 

true. wish i had the luxury

 

I definitely sometimes wish I had bought a Sprinter or a full size long bed truck with a FWC.

 

So i guess you both saw this

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpiewyWHiBd/

 

Good to know as I have that cooler and soon the camper as well. I was planning on my fridge being in the same spot and will likely build some shelves that can double as my ladder on the ladder side. What did you end up doing?

 

A reply to an old message but I’m over here binge reading this thread as I wait for my Drifter. WEDGIE IS AN AWESOME NAME.
Imagine that as a pickup line.

“Wanna come check out my wedgie?”

Genius.

 

Yeahhh..not gonna lie that thing basically checks all of the boxes for me. Just don't see many used flatbed FWC and I don't really want to wait 6 months for one.